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A lot or a little?

The parents' guide to what's in this game.

Positive Messages

Violence

Players use a variety of kicks, punches, and special attacks to defeat henchmen from rival gangs. When defeated, adversaries simply fall over and disappear. Players must actually wave the Wii remote (vigorously) to mimic attacks and blocks. Our "Pause" rating is not due to the type of violence (which is actually quite mild) but to the fact that there's so much of it.

Sex

Language

Consumerism

The game uses the Kung Fu Panda license, but is not actually based on the events from the movie.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this game features the characters from Kung Fu Panda but doesn't actually follow the events of the movie. Gameplay emphasizes combat and little else, and the combat itself is unsophisticated and repetitive. Players are required to shake the Wii remote and Nunchuk continuously and vigorously to fight, which may take a toll on the player's wrists. When an enemy is vanquished, they simply fall over and their bodies disappear.

What's it about?

Set after the events of the Kung Fu Panda movie (and video game of the same name), KUNG FU PANDA: LEGENDARY WARRIOR continues the story of the unlikely hero Po and his friends, a gang of honorable kung fu warriors known as the Furious Five. When the villain Tai Lung captures members of the Five in order to steal their chi and increase his own power, players must save them by brawling their way through waves of henchmen from Lung's gang and others.

In the Wii story mode , players can control either Po, Monkey, Tigress, or Shifu as a single-player or multiplayer co-op adventure. Unlocking Master and Legendary modes allows players to go through the story again with a stronger character. Progressing through story mode unlocks additional characters (up to 16) in Versus mode, where players are pitted against each other in Super Smash Bros.-style dust-ups.

Is it any good?

The game is a more polished effort than the first Kung Fu Panda game on the Wii, but that's not exactly saying much. The gameplay is completely centered on fighting waves of bad guys, interrupted only by the occasional mini-game and a few lines of dialogue to move the paper-thin story ahead. Players shake the Wii remote and Nunchuk to perform various kicks, punches and special attacks, but the controls are so simplified and repetitive that combat quickly becomes tedious, and the constant vigorous shaking required will take a toll on both the equipment and the player's wrists.

Exotic music, humorous narrative by a darn good Jack Black sound-alike, and a fun if unsophisticated multiplayer mode are the highlights of this otherwise unremarkable brawler.

Talk to your kids about ...

Families can talk about the concept of "chi" ("or Qi") and its significance in Asian cultures. Do you prefer actually waving the Wii remote around in fighting games, or would you prefer the more traditional approach of pressing buttons?

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